Robert John Sipchen

ROBERT JOHN SIPCHEN, born October 21, 1924, died on Tuesday. The son of Dorothy and William Sipchen, Bob grew up in Chicago, Illinois with his sisters, Mary and Patricia, and his brothers, Bill and Jim. Du ring WWII, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and spent his tour patrolling the Mississippi River and circling the globe transporting troops. On Sept. 15, 1951 he married his childhood sweetheart, Peggy. The couple moved to San Bernardino in 1958 and Bob landed a job in one of the area's growth industries: fighting smog. He began his career with the San Bernardino County Air Pollution Control District, which later became the South Coast Regional Air Quality Management District. In 1960, Bob moved his family to San Bernardino's Del Rosa neighborhood, where he and Peg raised sons Bob and Tim and daughter, Laurie in a house on an acre of land with 54 olive trees. Under Bob's creative guidance, forts, tree houses and swing sets sprouted in the grove. Bob the gentleman farmer learned to cure olives and enjoyed giving cans of "Sipchen Family Olives" as gifts. Over the years he planted all variety of fruit trees and no visitor to the house got away without sampling an orange or kumquat. The Spichen household became a gathering place for cats, ducks, horses, and dogs, but mostly humans, many of whom lived with the family over the years. Summer barbecues might include nuns playing trumpet at midnight and Bob reading from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" or joining a priest in crooning "Danny Boy." For years, Bob found solace vacationing with his family at a trailer they kept on the beach south of Ensenada, where he was particularly fond of surf fishing and singing with family and friends (and strangers) aroun d campfires at late night lobster bakes. After retiring, Bob began indulging his many interests. He became one of those guys you see poking around your beach towel with a metal detector, and if bottle caps were doubloons, he'd have been as rich as he was wealthy in spirit. Bob's treasure hunting dovetailed with his love for books. He liked nothing better than meticulously inspecting every dusty volume at a yard sale or thrift store. This tested the patience of some in his family, but not his brother Jim, w ith whom he started an enterprise they called Books Brothers. Twenty-two months ago, doctors diagnosed Bob with lung cancer. Thanks to help from family, friends and wonderful doctors and nurses, he spent most of his final battle in his own home, enjoying his olive grove and fruit trees. On Tuesday, with classical music playing in the background and his sons at his bedside, Bob's heartbeat gently ceased. A prayer service will be held Monday, July 15, at Bobbitt Memorial Chapel, 1299 E. Highland Avenue. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, July 16, at St. Anne Catholic Church, 6885 Del Rosa Avenue, with interment to follow at Mt. View Cemetery, 570 E. Highland Ave., San Bdno.